Love - The Original Four Letter Word
by Taramisu
Summary: Buffy is under an evil spell and the gang must cure it before it is too late. But there is only one who's love is true enough. Takes place after Into the Woods.
1. Chapter 1

"I've got you exactly where I want you now. Just give up, you scumbag piece of dung." Buffy's lips curled up into a snarl. Her opponent's eyes squinted as he contemplated his next move. A lone drop of sweat trickled down the smooth, dark face. The two enemies breathed as one with their eyes fixed to each others. Buffy's nemesis finally made his move. 

"Hah. King me!" 

Xander had won the game of Checkers. 

The defeated party thrust out her lower lip, "I always win. I think you cheated, Xan." 

Xander gave a big belly laugh, remembering why he loved her so. "No, I finally figured you out." The dark haired man adjusted his posture, leaning in toward her slightly. "Whenever you do this..." he squinted his left eye, "...you are about to jump me. When you do this..." he lifted his chin and tilted his head to the right scarcely, "...you are setting me up for a sacrificial jump. And when you..." 

"All right, Freud. I get it. I'm transparent." 

"Not so much transparent as translucent." 

The couple laughed together as Giles meandered into the room. "Are you ready to train?" 

Buffy sobered up a little. "I suppose. I'd probably rather have a rematch, though." 

"She can't stand to lose." 

"That's the Slayer in me." Her face became pseudo-serious and her voice deep, "I never lose." She and Xander resumed their mirth. 

After a few more minutes of cajoling and giggling, Buffy retired to her training area. She was still a bit choked up whenever she entered the space that had been designed and built just for her. Sunlight bathed the room, specially illuminating the mannequin that "dummy man" had made for her with his own hands. The entire area exuded love and caring from those involved in its creation. The Slayer felt honored to have such friendship and support surrounding her. 

Today was to be an interactive training with her Watcher. Normally she would go about 5-10 minutes and Giles would surrender, turning her loose on the various training items about the area. The Englishman could only take so much of a Slayer beating, even though she always held back somewhat. 

* * *

20 minutes into the workout, Giles stopped her. "Come on with it, Buffy. You're not even trying!" 

"Giles!" She exclaimed emphatically. "I **_am_** trying. I'm not even taking it easy on you like I normally have to. I just can't seem to get moving right. It feels like I'm getting the flu or something." The frustration was clearly evident on her sweaty face. 

"Well, perhaps I have been pushing you too hard lately. Why don't you take tonight off and we'll work again tomorrow." He pushed the little paranoid voice back into his subconscious where it belonged. After all, not everything has to be a supernatural event. 'She's just been under a lot of pressure lately. Everybody needs a rest once in a while.' 

But the Slayer is not just anybody. 

* * *

"You may begin." Arguably the three most stressful words in the English language. Well, that and "Freeze, scum bag." 

28 students simultaneously bowed their heads, picked up their pencils and embarked on the World History exam. 27 students studiously scribbled thorough answers to the complex questions. One student stared blankly at page 1. 'What is wrong with my brain?' Buffy thumped her forehead with the heel of her hand a few times. 'Willow worked so hard with me the last week. I had all this down solid!' Shuffling the pages in a panic, Buffy read and reread and read again each and every question. Before she knew it, the class period was over. The remaining 7 students packed up their belongings and turned in their tests on their way out the door. The blonde in seat 2, row 3 sat still in her chair, stunned. 

"Miss Summers?" 

No answer. 

"Buffy?" 

She slowly looked up from her stark white test. "I studied, I swear." She silently gathered up her own belongings, and leaving the blank test behind, shuffled her way home. 

* * *

The streets were so busy and full of life. Although Buffy's mind was distracted with thoughts of her choking on the history test, she couldn't help but notice a homeless woman down the alley between Greagor's Drugs and the Leather Shoppe. Her clothes were characteristically torn and stained, framing a face full of grief, doubt and pain. This was not the first derelict that Buffy had seen. In fact, they tended to litter the sidewalks and alleys of downtown Sunnydale. It wasn't easy to keep a job and home in this town. Businesses tended to go belly-up easily; especially if an owner or higher-up bit the dust at the hand of some demon or other nasty. 

But this old lady suddenly struck her as terribly pathetic. Buffy's tough exterior melted away, leaving tears to stream down her face. Before she knew it, she was on her hands and knees, next to the indigent, mumbling about unhappiness, injustice, fear, shattered dreams and the like, promising to make the world a safer and more fulfilling place. The old lady looked at the young woman, who obviously had a home and family from the looks of her clothes and jewelry. "Honey, you have to lay off the drugs..." 

Buffy wiped her face with her sleeve, stood up, and dusted off her pants. Something was definitely wrong. Her memory sifted through the events of the last 24 hours, as a realization came to her. She was losing it. Losing what it meant to be the Slayer. First her strategy, then her strength and stamina, next her intelligence, and now her emotional control. There was only one place to go now. 

* * *

By the time she had made her way to the Magic Box, she found that her legs would hardly carry her. She felt as if her body weighed upwards of 400 pounds. Each step was a struggle. Each moment she managed to get closer to her goal was an eternity. This had gone way past her original fear that her Slayer powers were fading. 

The shoppe door could have been made of lead by the looks of the small blonde's struggle with it. She thanked the PTB that Giles was there to catch her as she toppled through the doorway. 

"Buffy!" 

The store owner fought to carry her to the back room alone as Anya had gone out to lunch. Buffy began to cry again as she noticed the customers staring and talking to their companions out the side of their mouths. "Stop staring at me!! I'm not a sideshow!" The older man was terrified. 

Once the formerly unflappable Slayer was squared away and out of sight, Giles got on the phone to round up the troops. Buffy could hear the worry in his voice as he talked to Xander and then Willow. "It has to be something supernatural." 

* * *

Willow was the first to arrive with Tara in tow. She knelt at the Slayer's side. The figure before her was a mere shadow of her former self. Her body had curled up into the fetal position and her eyes stared blankly at the opposite wall. She didn't even appear to know that Willow was there...until she meekly whispered, "help me." 

"Tara," she called to the body shadowing her, "tell Giles she won't even look at me. She's catatonic." The red headed witch wore a mask of composure while her panic ate away at her gut like a rabid animal. She remained still, stroking the blonde hair. 

Tara left to find Giles and update him on the Slayer's condition. She found him hidden behind a case of magickal herbs, explaining the situation to a very upset Xander. "So, I didn't really win that game of Checkers?" 

"Xander. This goes way beyond a bloody child's game." The boy could not remember ever hearing Giles swear. "Buffy is quickly losing everything that makes her the Slayer. I have not been able to find any references to explain this. Perhaps..." Tara finally interrupted. 

"She's gotten worse, Mr. Giles. She's staring blankly into no where and won't talk to us." 

"Oh dear. This is bad." The two men hurried to her side, only to see Buffy exacly the way that Tara had described. Xander was just about to fall at the petite girl's feet when Giles' face and attitude changed. "All right! Let's get to work!" He ordered in his best military voice. 

The three young friends jumped to their feet and scurried to the books. "What are we looking for?" "How the hell should I know, Xander?" Rupert rubbed the bridge of his nose, obviously not taking this well. Xander and Willow exchanged looks, then the latter scooted close to the former and whispered, "Just look for any incidents of a Slayer losing her power, or any other being losing their abilities for that matter." He nodded a little "thank-you" and opened his book. 

The quartet had been searching for what seemed like hours, each taking turns on looking after their charge. It wasn't until Anya returned that progress was made. 

* * *

The group summed up the situation and Anya's eyes showed an immediate glimmer of recognition. "Yeah. I've seen this before. In fact, I've done it a couple of times to men who cheated on their wives." A room full of eyes focused on her. 

"Are you absolutely certain, Anya?" 

"Yeah! It's a great way to exact vengeance since the only cure for it is to find a being who loves the subject." 

Willow's eyes brightened. "Well, that's easy! There's at least three people in this room alone who love her!" The mood in the room definitely lightened, but then suddenly crashed into oblivion as the ex-demon continued. "No, I don't think it's that kind of love. I seem to recall that it has to be a true love kind of thing. You know, head over heels, completely unselfish, fathomless love...that kind. The entire idea behind the spell is there shouldn't be a person like that, now that he spurned her." 

"Well, who would have done something like this?" 

"I don't know, Xander. It could be anyone. From some evil power trying to get the Slayer out of the way, to...well...Riley." 

They all, once again, stared at the ex-demon. 

It was Giles who spoke first, breaking the silence. "Well, when we find this...person...what is it that needs to be done?" 

"Actually, I never needed to know that. I was in the Vengeance business, not the Mercy business." 

Rupert just sighed. "Help me find it, please." He tossed a book at her, then glanced over in Buffy's direction, the worry plastered across his face. 

There wasn't a person in that store who did not secretly wonder if the cure was impossible, with Riley now gone. There was virtually no way to find and retrieve him. It could even be Riley that caused this. They collectively, and silently, mourned the loss of Buffy's anchor. 


	2. Chapter 2

Willow tentatively rose from her seat. "I have to get Buffy's mom and Dawn." she announced to the group.

"Do you really feel that is a good idea, Willow? I mean, is it wise to worry them when they can't even help her?"

"We don't know that. Anya said herself she isn't familiar with the reversal spell. It certainly can't hurt to have everyone here who loves her." Willow's voice had a certain quality to it...an eminence that sounded as if she had lost hope, but was still grasping at straws.

"Yes, I suppose it wouldn't hurt." Upon hearing the positive response, she turned to leave. "You'll find them at Spike's hou...er...abode."

There was one voice sounded in unison, "What?!"

"Buffy brought them there for 'safe keeping' as it were. What with Glory and all."

"Well, while I get them, you better call Angel."

Just the sound of the name brought on varied feelings among the group – all of them strong. Xander's eyes narrowed. Anya looked at him with a question on her face. Tara's and Giles's faces brightened as if to say, "of course!"

"I'll call him and convince him to come. Should-should I have him bring Cordelia and Wesley?" The red head glared evilly at him. "I don't think that will be necessary. We want to save Buffy, not push her further into oblivion." With that, she left on her mission.

* * *

Giles quickly accepted the responsibility of talking Angel into dropping what he was doing and rushing out to old Sunnydale. The ensouled vampire seemed different to the Watcher...more distant and detached somehow. But he ignored the feeling, allowing himself to feel a bit relieved that the only soul likely to save the Slayer would soon be present. If anyone possessed the kind of love for the blonde that Anya had described, it was undoubtedly Angel.

Giles gently replaced the receiver into its cradle, breathing a sigh of respite. Now if only they could find that reversal spell before... A shiver coursed through him at the unfinished thought.

* * *

She awoke to find herself in...well, God, where the hell was she? There was nothing. No trees, no buildings, no sky, no ground. Buffy began to panic. Immediately she prepared to run but found herself unable to move. It wasn't as if she were restrained, being forced to remain. She just couldn't move. It was as if she were paralyzed. She tried over and over to take a step forward, move her arm, turn her head...anything. Her mouth tried to scream, but the air remained deadly silent. Hell! She didn't even know if there was air here, for she wasn't breathing. All she felt was coldness surrounding her like a blanket.

For once in her life, she would have to rely on her friends to help her. Oh how she hoped they had a handle on the situation. Buffy knew she didn't.

* * *

A red head stood on tiptoes, peering through the crypt window. What she saw caused her eyes to open wide and her jaw to drop. There was Spike and Joyce, sitting together on one chair, watching a television show. What was more amazing was that they were apparently having a great time bantering back and forth, discussing the characters and their actions. Her mind promptly flashed back to when the vampire first returned to Sunnydale from Brazil and kidnapped her. The cruel, desperate look that had previously resided in his eyes had disappeared. Replacing it now was a definite look of...well, what it was she wasn't sure, but it sure did smack of a soul.

Willow shook off her thoughts before she knocked on the door. Unexpectedly, Dawn answered. She could hear a Brit shouting from inside.

"You don't just open the sodding door you little twit! What if it's some big bad come to get you?!" Dawn just crossed her arms and sighed.

Willow decided to dispense with the pleasantries as she entered the dark, dank crypt and get right to the point. "Buffy's in trouble." All eyes were focused on her. "There's been some spell cast, by whom we don't know, and it's making her wither away to nothing. Right now she's curled up on the training room floor, staring at the wall. The last thing I heard her say was 'help me'."

Willow bravely fought back tears as now was not the time for emotion. Now was the time for action. Joyce sat at the edge of the chair, not fighting back her tears as well as the witch. Dawn didn't know what to do or think.

Spike suddenly and unpredictably stood, chest out, head high. "How do we fix her?" The three women, through their shock and grief of the news, looked at him, confused as to his intentions.

"Well, we aren't certain, but we need someone who loves her deeply. So, I thought maybe her family would be a good bet. We need to get you to her."

Spike cut off any more conversation. "Right! Well. She needs us. So, let's go." The soul-less vampire grabbed Joyce and Dawn, hurrying them out to the waiting car. Fortunately, he only burned a bit of his hand before stopping to grab a blanket for protection.

* * *

The four remaining people continued to scour through a pile of books. Spike's barging in caused a loud interruption that made everybody jump. A few vulgarities, uttered quietly, floated around the atmosphere.

"Joyce!" Giles stood and crossed the room to comfort the distraught woman, while Xander and Anya did the same for Dawn. Support and empathy circled the room, as did discussion of the situation and what they knew about the solution thus far. No one saw Spike slip away.

* * *

The small, blonde figure lay in the corner, looking so helpless and vulnerable. Not even on that fated night when she defeated Angelus had she looked this defenseless. Her face shined, the moonlight reflecting off her cold skin. Spike gently sat next to her, holding her limp, white hand in his. He brushed the hair way from her face, then whispered in her ear, "Don't you bloody die before I can tell you I love you, Slayer." One blonde held the other. His eyes squeezed shut as he stroked her hair.


	3. Chapter 3

They searched through the volumes in a fervor until the sun had long since danced across the sky and come to its resting place beyond the horizon. Two heads lay upon the table with eyes shut, while one more bobbed forward and back as its owner drifted in and out of consciousness.

* * *

Buffy hadn't made a single move since he arrived at her side. Her breathing had slowed and was barely deep enough to sustain life. But, then again, who knew what a Slayer's body could actually endure; especially one this seasoned. Spike tried to remain optimistic, but reality began to set in. What if she did die? Sure, another Slayer would be called to replace Buffy in a working capacity, but the PTB could never replace Buffy the woman. He allowed himself to envy Angel for a moment as he had had the glorious opportunity of watching after her from the time she had first been called. Spike tried to imagine what it must have been like to see a child grow into such a vibrant, clever young woman. Having had a hand in molding her into what she had finally become must feel so...well, he didn't have a clue. He had never impacted anything or anyone so intensely. Well, not in a positive manner, anyway.

The vampire had finally had enough sitting on his duff. He was a man of action, not hope. He brought his mind back to the present and decided to go help with the research business. In one gentle, fluid motion, he lifted the limp body off of himself, placed her softly on the mat and tenderly kissed her forehead.

"What the fucking hell are you doing, you asshole?!!"

It was Xander's voice coming from behind him, but not Xander's strong arm that landed on his shoulder mid-sentence, throwing him into the opposite wall. Spike landed in a very awkward position. When he managed to look up, he saw Xander doting over Buffy and Angel standing before him, finger pointed at his face. "We don't need you trying anything now, you perverted freak!" Angel turned to Xander, keeping the other vampire in his peripheral vision at all times. "Did he bite her?" Before the boy could utter a sound, Spike answered for himself.

"No, I didn't bloody bite her, you dirty bastard!" Xander knodded to Angel, confirming the claim made by the treacherous vamp.

By now, the rest of the group stood wide eyed at the doorway, with no one quite certain as to what was happening. Spike wanted to say more, a lot more, but decided it would be futile. He also wanted to stand up and beat the (un)living shit out of the pompous vampire, but knew better. Instead, he stood up, with minimal attitude, and crossed over to Giles. He addressed the Watcher, but glared at his sire. "Now, show me what books you haven't looked through yet, mate. We'll find that cure yet." He then continued out to the main room.

Giles wanted to stay and hear what the screaming and violence had been about, but determined it would be best to continue the research and give Spike something constructive to do...preferably something far away from Angel. He turned, and with a little reluctant shuffle of his feet, left the scene behind him.

The remaining members of the team stared at Angel, not knowing what had transpired between the three men. Willow made a mental note that it had been Xander's voice she heard first and not Spike's. She also noted that, apparently, the only physical attack had been against the peroxide blonde.

"I'm sorry to barge in here like this and make assumptions when I've been out of the loop for so long." He stared at the ground, observing that his presence always seemed to bring pain to this set of friends.

Xander looked at his former rival with a look of combined forgiveness and understanding. "I thought he was up to something too. I mean, what else would Spike be doing leaning over her with his face so close..." 'Oh, shit.' It all made sense to Xander now. Buffy had mentioned his increasingly odd behavior: joining her on patrol, breaking into her house, lurking outside of her window. 'Mother of God in Heaven. He loves her!'


	4. Chapter 4

Angel and Xander remained in the training room, discussing the situation, while the others resumed their respective duties.

* * *

"So that's why you sent for me?" He looked downward, brooding face firmly in place. "Where's Randy?"

"Randy? Who's that?"

"You know. Her...boyfriend." Angel cringed at the word, almost as if it burned his tongue on the way out.

"Oh! Riley. Well, he's gone."

Pause.

"Oh." Angel fidgeted with the keys in his pocket.

Pause.

"Yeah." Xander rocked back and forth on his heels.

Pause.

"He's not...um...dead, is he?"

"Oh, no. Just left." The dark haired best friend didn't know how much he was allowed to explain. With Buffy out of asking reach at the moment, he decided it was best to leave it at that.

"How is she taking it?"

He stared into the vampire's brown eyes, trying to decipher what it was he really wanted to know. "Don't worry, Big Guy. She's not falling apart like when you left. She's holding her own this time." The boy lightly punched his counterpart's arm. Angel's eyes slowly rolled up to the smirking face. "Gee, thanks. That just brightened up my cold, dark world."

Xander left to rejoin the party while mumbling something about never managing to find the right thing to say and Anya starting to rub off on him.

Slowly, the vamp made his way over to his former lover, the apprehension tearing him apart. He knelt about a foot away from her body, not daring to touch, let alone kiss her. What had Spike actually been doing here, his face next to hers and her body on his lap? The way he had reacted to the assault on him was surely not the Spike he created and raised. Angel just shook his head slowly, unable to fathom the changes that had occurred since his move to L.A. Willow was wearing a totally different style of clothing and looking suspiciously intimate with that Tara girl. Xander hadn't lashed out at him like he usually did. There was a girl that everyone treated as Buffy's sister...although his memory of her was all too vague.

Then there was Spike. The vicious vampire, who had tried to kill Buffy too many times to remember. Yeah, he had learned all too well from Angelus. But now, something was not right. Something was off. Then he realized another item that just didn't fit. His smell. Spike didn't smell like a vampire anymore. Oh, sure, you could smell the demon that frolicked inside, but there was something missing...the hint of human blood. On any vampire, except for himself of course, one could smell that unmistakable salty, metallic tang. It sort of hung around a vamp like a cloud. No, Spike definitely had not been feeding from humans for some time now. Why, he could only guess.

"This is the normal life I left for you?"

He still did not dare to move closer and touch her. Angel just hung onto the feeling he had in his gut that her friends were probably not the only ones who had changed. They all had, including himself.

* * *

"Is she getting any worse?"

"Worse than comatose? That would be dead, my friend."

Tensions were running a bit too high for the rag-tag assembly of humans and demons. Within seconds, the room filled with a roar of insults and other not so nice words. It carried on for only a couple minutes when a voice rang out from the din.

"I got it!"

You could hear an athame drop. All eyes focused on the little ex-demon.

"The ritual is right here, although it doesn't really specify..." Spike snatched the book from her hands, making her jump, then glare at him evilly. Before he could read a single word, Angel grabbed the book from his possession. With the big vampire towering before her, Anya stood, crossed to him, and took the book back. "I said, I got it! Now, the two of you sit down and pretend to act civil." Xander held back the giggle in his throat, as well as the 'you go girl' that threatened to escape.

"Please continue Anya." Giles had lost all patience and was close to striking out at the two vampires.

"Well, as I was saying, this passage describes the spell pretty well, but is a bit sketchy on the whys and where arts."

"And the English translation would be...?" Xander was losing his tolerance for her quickly.

"It doesn't say who has to be involved, only that, 'she of utmost devotion, of divine adoration, of pure love enter with a symbol of her life and sacrifice it for him.'" She crinkled up her nose in confusion and frustration. "But this is what I get out of the rest of it. We need to cast three circles. One for Buffy, one for the...uh...other person, and one between them for a fire. The ingredients are all listed here too. Those can be the only things that feed the fire. Then, this phrase is chanted by the subject in the circle, and he/she offers up a thing of great value by throwing it onto the fire. I...I gather it is a thing of great emotional value that defines the person and symbolizes that part being sacrificed for the good of his/her love." She glanced around the room to make sure they were all following her.

"Very good job. Yes, this is excellent. Tara and Anya will set up for the spell while Dawn and Joyce, you should go home to retrieve some object that fits the book's description. Angel, do you have something with you that would be considered of great sentimental value?" He thought for a millisecond before he answered affirmatively.

Willow interjected. "It wouldn't hurt for us all to be prepared to do the spell, Giles." Rupert nodded.

Spike offered to escort the Summers' to their home. He then offered for Angel to accompany the witch and Xander, who gladly accepted. Angel wondered once again who the strange blonde vampire was.

The Magic Box eventually cleared out, leaving the two women behind to prepare. This did not take long. Anya deftly gathered the prescribed ingredients, depositing them at the front door. They then packed it all up and scouted out a clearing in the small patch of woods out back. Before the participants had returned, the young witch had cast all three circles and set up a proper area within one for the bonfire.

* * *

Frigid atmosphere darkened to grey and threatened to blacken further. There were no landmarks to confirm the feeling, but she swore she was falling. Not so much a free-fall, but a gradual sliding...slipping away. "Where is everyone?"

* * *

"Here we all are!" Xander remarked.

"Everyone follow me." Tara led the fully congregated group to the magickal spot, with Giles bringing up the rear carrying Buffy. They all stood in a semi-circle around the three rings. Anya held the book open to the chant and Tara double checked the arrangements. "Okay. We are ready to begin." She forced a smile, hoping that this would work.

Spike's mind revisited Anya's paraphrase, "...devotion...adoration...love." He nervously lit a cigarette and took a long drag, in an attempt to ignore the suggestions that Angel should be one to perform the spell.


	5. Chapter 5

Buffy's one time lover readily stepped forward and waited in the appropriate circle for his instructions. Tara started the fire. A cloud of smoke rose then danced around those present, releasing a mellow, yet spicy scent. It reminded Tara a little of Christmas morning.

* * *

Darkness advanced like a lion on the prowl with slow, relentless stealth. Buffy slid further and further into the bitter gloom, very close to releasing her soul to death.

Then there was light! A small flicker in the distance.

* * *

Angel looked down at the claddah ring on his finger, taking a deep breath that he did not need. The ring took some effort to remove, but eventually came off. He tossed it into the fire as he spoke, "Te praecurro in tibi muneri me ipso dando atque te ex hoc periculo servanda. Tibi in aeternum amorem offero..."

* * *

The light brightened until it was more than light – it was an opening. Still too small to escape through, but growing every second.

* * *

"...Si meam mentem penitus experieris,me esse sincerum videbis. Amor meus te liberam faciet."

* * *

A blinding glare emanated from the opening portal. Buffy struggled to make out the figure emerging from it. I was human – shorter – female – blonde – bright smile - ...Darla! Darla was coming toward her. Then, as soon as she recognized the being, it retreated back into the darkness, the doorway shrinking.

* * *

Buffy did not move. Her breathing remained agonal. Her best friend's eyes filled with tears and she wept, "It-it didn't work. Why didn't it work?!" Xander and Willow held each other.

At that moment, Joyce stepped forward into the circle. "Let's do it!" The book was carried to the mother who had an incredible determination in her eyes. She pulled a small locket on a gold chain from her pocket. Inside were pictures of her newborn daughters. With one stray tear forging a path down her left cheek, she tossed the item into the now blazing fire. "Te praecurro in tibi muneri me ipso dando atque te ex hoc periculo servanda. Tibi in aeternum amorem offero..."

* * *

Thank the PTB, the light was growing again. This had to be her partners in slaying attempting to free her from this cold, dank prison. Why Darla had come before, she had no idea.

* * *

"...Si meam mentem penitus experieris,me esse sincerum videbis. Amor meus te liberam faciet."

* * *

Once again, a shadowed figure came forth. Closer, closer, closer...it was a man. A tall, dark, gorgeous man. Buffy's eyes held no recognition for him. He disappeared, the light following him.

* * *

Buffy remained still, her skin white and chilly.

Xander had had enough. He let go of Willow, relinquishing her to Tara's care, and boldly stepped forward, bathed in his feelings for the Slayer. Simultaneously, he chucked a plastic, superhero ring into the flames. The cheap toy gift from Willow had protected him many a night as he lay sleepless listening to his drunk family fight. "Te praecurro in tibi muneri..."

* * *

"Anya? Anya! You have to get me out of here!" But she was gone. 'Maybe they're getting closer,' she hoped.

* * *

"This obviously is not working." Giles held his head low and rubbed the bridge of his nose. They had performed the spell exactly the way described, yet the Slayer had not improved. She lay upon the frigid ground, like a Sleeping Beauty whose Prince's kiss had failed to break her deep slumber.

Giles ticked off in his mind the people who had attempted to awaken the Princess. A lover, a mother, a friend. All they had left was a father, a sister, another friend, two acquaintances, and...Spike. He sighed, then entered the circle. The others looked on as Rupert fumbled in his inside jacket pocket for something. He read the top of the letter for a second. "From the Watcher's Council, London England, to Rupert Giles. You have been chosen...official Watcher...new Slayer...Buffy Summers. You will be expected to..." The single sheet of paper lofted through the air, blown about by the fire's heat, but finally landing in the flames, and disintegrating to ash. "Te praecurro in tibi muneri me ipso..."

* * *

She was graceful, that was for sure. Buffy looked on, desperate for the woman before her to be her saving grace. She finally identified the figure as Jenny Callendar....and then she was gone.

* * *

"Why should I even bother?!" Willow screamed through her tears. Tearing herself away from Tara's embrace, she mustered up all her strength to attempt the ritual. Her symbolic item came out of her bag, a perpetually pristine, blood red rose. Once again, the item was thrown to the center circle. "Te praecurro in tibi muneri me ipso dando atque te ex hoc periculo servanda. Tibi in aeternum amorem offero..."

* * *

The Slayer held little hope by now. A man, short, light hair. Oz was venturing toward her, only to retreat, the same as the others. Buffy closed herself in defeat. This parade of people made no sense to her, but it was clear she was never getting out of here. The harder she struggled to maintain faith and hope, the more exhausted she became. Sleep now taunted and enticed her.


	6. Chapter 6

The blonde, previously full of life and love and exhilaration, lay breathless. Her heart beat rarely. She was near death. Giles knelt by her side and made the announcement.

Instantly, Spike came alive. His eyes filled with tears as he furiously shed his jacket. Not caring about anyone's reactions, which were sure to be of disgust, he ran into the designated area. Angel's game face slipped through as he grabbed the young vampire's arm. Spike was too enraged to take notice, and he skillfully released himself from the iron grip. Before anyone could utter a word, the black leather jacket that had once adorned a Slayer, soared into the fire. With great strength and force, the words were announced, "Te praecurro in tibi muneri me ipso dando atque te ex hoc periculo servanda. Tibi in aeternum amorem offero..."

* * *

Buffy sensed the increase in light, but had no more initiative to utilize in giving it attention. And that's when she heard it. A voice...with a cockney accent. "...Si meam mentem penitus experieris,me esse sincerum videbis. Amor meus te liberam faciet." It was quiet and distant, but it was definitely there. She now struggled to open her eyes and concentrate on the dark figure approaching. Long hair – petite but muscular frame...it was herself! The figure reached toward her and at that very moment, she was able to move. First her head, then her arms and finally her legs. Buffy grabbed the figure's hand and allowed herself to be lead away...into the light.

* * *

"She's coming back!!" Giles' voice cracked. Each person, as a group, ran to her side. They stared in awe as her pulse, respirations and color returned to normal. Her eyes fluttered open, hazel orbs gracing her loved ones with their beauty.

In the background, Spike collapsed where he stood.

* * *

  


* * *

"More ice cream, anybody?" Joyce called out from the kitchen. The Slayer's mother recognized her daughter's voice crying out. "Me! More, more! And I want those chocolate sprinkles too." The sounds of laughter permeated the Summers' house. Buffy had already eaten enough junk food to choke a horse.

"So, Buffy. What happened? I mean, do you remember anything?" Leave it to Giles to break a jovial mood.

The party's guest of honor put her third dish of ice cream aside and pondered her answer momentarily. "Nothing."

"So, it was like you were asleep?" Willow retorted.

"No, I mean there I was, awake with nothing. It was like being suspended in mid-air, only there was no air. I couldn't move or anything and I wasn't breathing."

"Fascinating."

"Then I saw a flicker of light in the distance."

"That must have been when we lit the fire to start the reversal spell!" Tara was ecstatic to be included in the major coup.

"Every once in a while, someone would come out of the light, then go back into it. That is, until I saw myself come and lead...myself away." She shook her head as if shaking the cobwebs out of her brain. "The next thing I remember is waking up with a dozen people hovering over me."

They all giggled, their relief clearly evident.

Spike finally looked up from his hot blood sundae. "So, the last person you saw was yourself?"

"Yup."

"Who exactly did you see before that then?" His question echoed the one on each and every other mind in the house. They all wanted to know what had actually happened each time the spell was performed, especially seeing how it did not work for the majority of the volunteers.

"Well, there was Jenny," Rupert's face turned solemn and Angel's cringed, "Anya," Xander and his demon exchanged loving looks, "some man I've never seen before," Joyce smiled sheepishly, "and..." Buffy stopped. She suddenly understood. Her mind had finally pieced together from what they had told her of the reversal spell, that these were her friends' true loves...the one being who they loved deeply and passionately, above all others. If she had completed the list out loud, there would definitely be some hurt feelings.

Then another quandary came to her. "Who was the last to do the spell?"

There was no answer. Spike was playing with his dessert, Angel was brooding in his, and the rest just looked at each other.

"Well. It would seem that was, um, Spike, here."

Buffy's face filled with disbelief. "What?!"

Spike threw his bowl to the side and rapidly stood to leave. He briefly looked around for his jacket, but upon remembering where it had gotten off to, sighed in defeated frustration and set off to storm out. Once again, a stalwart vampire arm held him in his place, then it pulled him promptly back to his seat. "I think it's time for you to talk, blondie."

Spike sat defiantly with his arms crossed. "It's none of your," he looked at everyone in the room but Buffy, "bloody business!"

Angel opened his mouth to argue when Buffy commented, "No, that's fine. If he doesn't want to talk, then I'm not gonna make him." She then turned toward the kitchen, "Mom! How's that ice cream coming? Mine's all melty now." The mother, who had been standing in the doorway, tore herself away to finish tending to her guests.

* * *

Four chimes rang out, and one by one, the guests disappeared. Each received a large Slayer embrace and a heartfelt thank-you. Willow got a bonus: a Slayer threat that they were to talk later about a certain short, male, band member.

* * *

Buffy had already deduced why Darla had appeared in her "nothing world". She would have been thrilled to be able to ignore it and move on with her already sufficiently complicated life. But, no. Angel just had to know. On his way out, he pulled her aside. "I barely have enough time to make it back to L.A. by daylight, but I need to know who that first person you saw was." She could taste the despair radiating from him.

"Don't you already know that, Angel?"

"It was supposed to have been you."

"Well, it wasn't." A little voice in the far reaches of her subconscious warned her not to say any more, so she didn't. She simply kissed him on the cheek, and bid him a goodnight.

Buffy closed the door, leaning against it with her eyes closed. 'Man, could this day get any worse?'

"Buffy?"

'Gee, thanks.'

"Spike."

"Can I talk to you?"

"Sure, have a seat." He continued to pace the living room, ironically enough.

"Now, I just want to set you straight, so you don't go around all giddy that such a desirable fella as myself has the hots for you."

"No, no. I understand. If you don't want me to make a big deal over this, then, I won't. No biggie." 'What am I saying? My life long enemy has fallen deeply in love with me and I'm going to let him pretend that it means nothing?'

"Okay. Good." Spike stomped his way out the door...but then hesitated. "Slayer?"

"Vampire?"

"What if I don't?"

"Have a seat, Spike."

Buffy closed and locked the front door.   
  


END   
  
  
  
  


By the way, the Latin phrase: "Te praecurro in tibi muneri me ipso dando atque te ex hoc periculo servanda. Tibi in aeternum amorem offero. Si meam mentem penitus experieris,me esse sincerum videbis. Amor meus te liberam facie." 

Translates to: "I come before you to offer myself and free you of this danger. I offer you my eternal love. See inside me, know that I am truthful. My love shall set you free." 


End file.
